MCW Global Young Leaders Access Program 2020 [Fully-funded to the US]

Applications are open for interested and suitably qualified candidates for the MCW Global Young Leaders Access Program 2020 [Fully-funded to the US]. The full application details for the MCW Global Young Leaders Access Program can be accessed below.

MCW Global Young Leaders Access Program

Applications are open for the MCW Global Young Leaders Access Program 2020. The MCW Global’s year-long flagship program is for participants between the ages of 18 to 26, who are prepared to become leaders of positive change in their communities by obtaining tools and skills needed to transform passion into action.

MCW is a non-profit organization that addresses communities’ needs by empowering current leaders and readying leaders of tomorrow. Their mission is to address communities’ pressing needs by empowering current leaders and readying leaders of tomorrow. Founded in 1999, MCW Global is based in New York with partner organizations in Africa (Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia). MCW offers Young Leaders, Community Development, and Oral Health Care programs.

The program is based on 3 phases:

Summer Program: The program begins with an intensive, 10-day summer program that facilitates leadership development, self-awareness, a deep understanding of global citizenship, and how to implement a project from beginning to end. The program is held in late July in New York City, New York and Burlington, Vermont. In addition to working alongside MCW Global team members, alumni mentors, and volunteers, participants will also hear from a range of experts from academia, civil society, development, and the public and private sectors about their own community-action projects.
Vision Planning: Project Development: Participants come to the Program with an idea of a community issue they want to address through the process of vision planning, which aims to transform passion into a tangible plan for change. During this process, participants will be able to put their local issues into a larger global context while exploring why they are in a unique position to make change happen. Participants will also determine which tools they need to apply to the plan, in order to make it actionable. After the program, Young Leaders are expected to further develop and/or implement their plan in collaboration with their alumni mentors.
Alumni Mentorship and Ongoing Support: To further develop and implement their vision plans, Young Leaders are paired with alumni mentors, who guide them at the summer program toward creating an actionable plan. During the year, alumni mentors support participants by facilitating quarterly “hangouts” and ongoing remote communication. Alumni mentors undergo customized training prior to the start of the program in order to support team building and cultural competency.

Cost

In an effort to make the program accessible to all participants, MCW Global will cover program and flight costs.
MCW Global will also cover costs during the summer program (July 21- July 30, 2020), including housing, food, travel to and from the summer program venues, and any necessary supplies.
MCW Global requires all participants to pay for on the ground costs, including passport, visa, and in-country ground transportation fees. (Not applicable for U.S. based participants.)

Eligibility

Applicants should demonstrate commitment to their community
Identify an issue in their community to address
Be between the ages of 18-26
Be fluent in written and spoken English
Commit to attending the 10-day program and spending the following year aiming to execute their community project
Be eligible for appropriate visa and travel documentation
Have access to email and Internet to allow for consistent communication with the MCW Global Team and Young Leaders Program alumni-mentor for the duration of the year-long program
Adhere to Young Leaders Access Program graduation guidelines (to be provided upon acceptance to the program)
Submit a completed application on or before January 5, 2020

Application

The application must be filled out in English. All letters of recommendation and your resume need to be prepared in English. Any parts of the application that are not in English will not be read and the application will be considered incomplete.

The application includes:

General information
Essay questions
- Identify an issue in your community that concerns you. How would you address this issue?
- Describe one time you have faced a challenge and used a leadership skill to come up with a solution.
Resume: Your resume should not be more than 1 page. They suggest that it be prepared in Times New Roman, 12 font, with 1-inch margins.
Two letters of recommendation
- Your letters should come from people who know your work ethic and commitment to your community. Friends and family members are discouraged from writing the letters of recommendation.
- Recommenders should state their name, position, and relationship to the applicant at the top of the letter.
- The letter should be on official letterhead, signed and dated.
Liability waiver: At the end of the application, please review the terms and conditions.